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Say this for the Bucs: they can dance to any beat.
They can win 36-35; they can win 19-3. This type versatility is crucial when moving with a partner as unpredictable as New Orleans. Would anyone have been truly surprised if 31 points wouldn’t have been enough to win this game? The Saints, for all the turmoil they’ve endured in 2005, remain potent offensively.
This didn’t seem to faze Tampa Bay, which again shut down an opponent’s attack with the usual checklist: shut down the running game, hang on to the ball and force their quarterback to beat you.
Fortunately for the Bucs, Aaron Brooks continues to write checks his arm can’t cash (this week’s beneficiary: Ronde Barber), and New Orleans played perfectly into the gameplan.
People will continue to wonder why Michael Clayton has disappeared from the offensive radar, and how Cadillac Williams can regain the form he showed early in the seaason (the latter question, by the way, is easy to answer: just schedule the Vikings, Packers and Bills again). The reality is that both Clayton and Williams continue to draw attention from defenses, and Joey Galloway has forged a career year out of the consequences.
A trip to Carolina next week, needless to say, will tell much more about the prospects of the Bucs. But the formula used to great success against the Saints on Sunday is the same one used by teams that play deep into January.
And at 8-4, in a feeble NFC, Tampa Bay could end up one of them.
Posted by Bruce Miller, St. Louis, Missouri on 12/07 at 01:45 PM
Thought I’d throw out some thoughts with 4 games to go and with the Bucs in the wildcard hunt and in the hunt for the division: Throw out Philadelphia and St. Louis, they’re done. Washington is basically done too because Tampa beat them head to head, so that makes it a 3 game lead with 4 to play. We are 1 game up on Atlanta and we play them here, they are in somewhat of a tailspin and have to go to Chicago still. If we can beat Carolina somehow, that’s 9-4 with 3 games left, and 2 winnable games at home. If we lose Sunday, it’s on to New England and despite the cold weather, they are not the team they were. However this road trip ends, you will most likely need 10 wins this year to get into the playoffs and as a Bucs fan, I’m glad that finally, for the first time in a awhile, these games in December mean something. Enjoy the stretch run fans!!!
Posted by BO, RUSKIN on 12/06 at 10:02 AM
GRUDEN, YOU MUST GO DEEP AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A GAME, SHOULD BE GOOD FOR 14 POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by John Gonzales, Childress Texas on 12/06 at 02:11 AM
I believe in the Bucs always have even back when nobody thought they would
ever amount to nothing.The bucs are a
great team,they need to believe in themselves and they can be unstoppable.
Come on guys lets get focus this coming sunday and show the Panthers
what the bucs are made of.GO GET THEM
TAMPA BAY
Posted by CT, on 12/05 at 08:41 PM
There sure are a lot a sour grapes replying!
Let me refresh your memory what you wrote on 11/3/05, Ron:
“So a 7-9 season seems to be the BEST a lousy team with a lousy coach can do...”
Well, so far the Bucs are 8-4. The Defense is #2 in the NFL. The Patriots’ Defense is #29, and as we have seen many times, Good Defense stops Good Offense. Remember the Bucs-Raiders SB? Go Bucs!
Oh, did you see how the Bears’ #1 Defense won the GB game despite the Bears’ QB
throwing for what? 69 yards? I guess the Bears’ “mediocre at best” offense and great Defense, are still going to get them into the playoffs.
Dungy is a great human being and coach.
Unfortunately, Tampa’s loss was Indianapolis’ gain. As a true Buc Fan, if the Bucs can’t win the SB, then I hope the Colts do!
Posted by Jere Klivansky, Sarasota on 12/05 at 06:46 PM
As a layman who has watched football for many,many years I look at Gruden’s playcalling & I can predict within 96% what type play he will call. If I can do this what can the opposition do with it?For a football offensive genius I sure question his playcalling.He has the personnel, just give them the plays to run. Also on TV it appears that Simm’s helmet is down too low as he constantly looks up. Perhaps if his headgear was adjusted properly upward maybe he could see more of the field.
Posted by EB, NORFOLK, VA on 12/05 at 05:31 PM
Ron Undieme sums it up nicely. The Bucs are mediocre at best. I certainly would like for them to prove me wrong next week against Carolina with a decisve win. But what we have seen to date makes that goal highly unlikely, especially with their extremely predicable offense, soft offensive line and porous secondary.
Posted by ken chance, inverness fl 34452 on 12/05 at 05:18 PM
what has happened to our short yardage backfield? missing too many 3rd an shorts.
Posted by Ron Undieme, St Petersburg on 12/05 at 03:20 PM
A few weeks ago I said the Bucs would end up 9-7. Well, now I’m not so sure they will win another game. Can they rely on Aaron Brooks to have another awful day when the Saints come to Tampa? Maybe so, maybe not. But you know the Bucs will not win against Carolina, New England and Atlanta will not let the Bucs beat them again this year. So maybe 9-7, maybe 8-8. Whatever, they remain a mediocre team with a less then mediocre coach. And does anyone think Dungy is the guy who can’t coach an Offense.
Posted by Coach O, Valrico, Florida on 12/05 at 10:54 AM
Give credit where credit is due, Ronde Barber is a Pro Bowl Player that has always been feared in the NFL. You trow the ball to his coverage area and he will get picks. He has only one prior pick because most avoid trowing it his way. Count on Monte Kiffin to have the defence ready to play down the stretch. Remember the golden rule; “Offence wins games, Defence wins Championships”. Hold on for the rest of this story…
Posted by Slick, Clearwater on 12/05 at 10:10 AM
Maybe Gruden deserves some recognition for the ability to coach a team to play just good enough to win? Ya think? If that is the strategy he is employing than he did a good job yesterday. I hope it works the rest of the season.
Frankly though, I am with the rest of the posters here, mix it up a little coach. it is going to take more than 10 points to win in Charlotte and Boston.
Slick
Posted by Bruce Miller, St. Louis, Missouri on 12/05 at 08:14 AM
A win is a win, no matter if it’s 10-3 or 3-2 so I’ll take it. Did not see most of the game, but a great start to a brutal 3 game road trip. Now you’re 8 - 4 and firmly in the wildcard hunt. Now it’s the BIG GAME, remember what Carolina did to you in your house, remember walking off the field totally embarassed and dumbfounded. This is December football, the games mean something now, it will take the maximum effort from everyone on this team to beat Carolina. No matter what, you leave it out there on the field and give it your all, and when it’s all said and done, the Bucs will prevail. Remember it’s PAYBACK TIME.
Posted by KDS, ENGLAND on 12/05 at 04:44 AM
Well, one down....now for the real test, on the road in Carolina.
THE KEYS FOR WEEKS AHEAD:
Get better on third down (on both sides of the ball). And run our FB occasionally on 1st down.
I agree with comments above...run the ball here and there on 3rd and 2 (switch it up more).
THE BIG POSSITIVE:
Looks like our Bucs are pretty healthy going into the late season games. (knock on wood).
Posted by Scott Martin, Vilseck, Germany on 12/05 at 01:49 AM
"A Former Fan”...how can you believe we will lose home game to the Saints and Falcons when we beat both those teams on the road? And Minn, Carolina, Washington and Chicago are “the easy part of the Bucs schedule”?
Get real.
10-6 will put us into the playoffs. If we beat Carolina...we win the division. I’m glad you’re a “former” fan...and there will be no place for you on the bandwagon come Janurary.
GO BUCS!
Posted by Adam Locascio, Tampa FL on 12/04 at 09:32 PM
A road win against a division opponent… hey, I’ll take it, no matter what form it decides to show up as.
One question: again, second week in a row the Bucs have 2 3rd and 2s. Why are we so DEATHLY afraid to run the ball? Mix in a draw play!
Posted by Big Rich, New Jersey on 12/04 at 08:51 PM
A win is a win, but this game should have never been this close. Not converting turnovers into points reminds me of the “old” Buccaneer offense that Coach Gruden was brought in here to fix. The Bucs need all phases of the game to come together next week or the Panthers are going to embarrass them!
Posted by CT, on 12/04 at 07:55 PM
Well, “A Former Fan”, remember when Tom Tupa had a blocked punt in the end zone, then threw the ball to the other team to lose the game...did you expect the Bucs, then, to go onto the SB and win? Nope.
The Bucs already beat the Falcons & the Saints on the road this year; they should be conditioned mentally & physically by the coaches to win again against these two teams at Tampa!
Tom Brady must be wondering how in heck he couldn’t even throw one TD against the Jets today, so he may not be mentally ready for the Bucs Defense.
Let’s hope Gruden & Kiffin can make an aggressive gameplan to beat the Panthers- this upcoming game with the Panthers will be a good one!
Posted by ken davis, lecanto on 12/04 at 07:53 PM
Can you tell me the real reason Clayton didn’t play at all against the Saints?
Posted by A Former Fan, Valrico, FL on 12/04 at 06:48 PM
Hurrah, the easy part of the BUCS’ schedule is done. Now comes payoff-off ball with the Panthers, Patriots, Falcons, and Saints. Pourous offensive and defensive lines, exhausted linebackers, and slow defensive backs together with doubious coaching equals an 8-8 BUCS season.
Wait until next year.
Peace.
Posted by Charles Brayton, brooksville on 12/04 at 06:43 PM
We give up on the running game and go to passes too short to do any good. Not just this week but always. Where is the receiver supposed to go when hit with the ball in his own back field.
We need an offense and and offensive coordinator. Ya, Chucky I’m knocking you.
Posted by CT, on 12/04 at 06:17 PM
I enjoyed the Ronde Barber Show today.
He’s a great cornerback as we Bucs fans have always seen throughout his playing years. Galloway missed a sure TD catch on a great Simms’ throw in the 2nd half. Anyway, he’ll make up for it next week against the Panthers! We’re going to need team effort next week against the Panthers, plus a lot more pressure on Delhomme. Gruden needs to study the films on the Panthers’ losses to find the Panthers’ weaknesses and exploit those weaknesses. I hope Gruden starts calling more play mixes with Pittman, Alstott & Cadillac to keep the Panther’s defense guessing who’s going to get the ball!! It does get predictable giving the ball only to Cadillac on every down! Mix it up, Coach 
Posted by Michael Clark, Tampa on 12/04 at 06:13 PM
It’s always nice to win but it will take a much greater effort next week just to “compete” with the Panthers. Best thing I see is Simms maturing each week. Now if Allen just will get him re-signed and let Greise . Nothing against Griese but they can’t afford both
Posted by Rod Lum, Sudbury, Ontario; soon to be in Florida for the wi on 12/08 at 08:03 PM
Can I ask a couple of questions about the Bears game, please. Why would a pro QB be holding the ball below his waist on the one yard line? He has to waste time to raise his arm to a throwing position, in addition to being vulnerable to the ball being slapped out of his hand. Is this poor coaching by Gruden et al, or do we place the blame from the high school level up to his time at Texas? Secondly, late in the game, the Bucs needed a couple of yards to drive for a score late in the game. Gruden called a short pass to Simms’ left side where he had had a number of passes knocked down by the Bears’ DE, who played a hell of a game. Who’s to blame?